Realizations and Retorts
by Raining Sammi
Summary: Temari comes to Konaha often carrying messages from there to her home country, and vice versa. Poor, lazy Shikamaru always seems to be the one getting stuck as her guide. Shikamaru x Temari. Language. My first fanfic. x3


Pairings: ShikaTema, and mentions of Choino

Rating: PG-13, for some language

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of naruto.

1Across the table he sat, gaze trained on his untouched salad. The eighteen year old could feel the eyes of the girl across the small round table drilling into his front. Why did he always get assigned to being her guide each time she visited Konoha? It was an utterly troublesome task, and at demands of her brother, the Kazekage, she seemed to be coming more and more frequently.

It was really uncomfortable, having her around so much. He was stuck with her so often that he thought she must have requested him as her guide, for each time she came. Rarely was there a time he wasn't forced to lead her around like a mother hen. And each time she came, he treated her to lunch at a restaurant that was more expensive than he preferred. And each time he spent his precious money on her, she countered by teasing and taunting him with every chance she could get. He knew she'd been angry that he'd humiliated her during the Chunin exams, but that was five years ago! Surely she should have dropped that by now.

"I'm supposed to take you to see Lady Hokage at seven. We still have got another hour yet," he said after she'd finished eating her luxury dinner of something or another. All that mattered was that her luxury dinner consisting of this and that had left his wallet feather light. The young genius had tried to erase all hints of awkwardness in his voice. Judging by the impish look in her eyes, he'd failed sadly.

It wasn't his fault though. Even a ridiculously high IQ was rendered hopeless in the presence of an attractive woman. And... yes, poor Shikamaru had to admit that Temari's figure was far from ugly. He'd always taken notice of the different elegance her hair had when let down, or put up into the four pig tails. Her green eyes were completely gorgeous. Her fingers were long, slender, but strong. Whenever her hand forcefully wrapped around his arm as he was helplessly dragged away, her hands brought furious jolts of electricity through his arm and down his spine. He also, of course, hadn't failed to notice her curvy hips and her chest. Even if Shikamaru was a complete laze, nothing changed the fact that he was a teenage boy, excitable in those kinds of ways, though he was embarrassed to admit it.

On the inside, he'd come to realize that even though this woman was more entirely troublesome, he found her alluring. At first he'd groaned at how her attitude had been very Ino-like. But as he'd been around her more and more he'd begun to like her more work worthy attitude. Ino, as far as he was concerned, was only a nit-picky flower picker. They both were good friends, and he had no doubts his father and Ino's father wanted them to be married. He and Ino had discussed this once, and bringing back the memory he chuckled. They both had known they were not destined to be together in such ways, ever. She'd been so enthralled with 'Sasuke-kun' back then, and as he left for Sound Shikamaru had noticed Ino and Choji getting unmistakably close. It had been unlikely, perhaps even more unlikely than Ino and himself. He was happy for his friend though, none the less. Ever since Choji had been going out with Ino he'd been happier than ever. What had it been... a year now?

A honey tinted voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Well then, you'll take me for a walk," she had said with a characteristic smile. He'd been hoping something more along the lines of 'Okay, just drop me off and I'll wait patiently for an hour.' But that was very unlike Temari, and he was sure she'd be delighted making his mind miserable for another hour.

He shrugged and left a tip on the table. No sooner had the coined hit the table when a familiar strong grip caught his hand and began pulling him away. Shikamaru shoved his other hand in his pocket, slouched a bit, and tried to look as cool about being dragged across a rather upscale restaurant as he could.

As they neared the end of the street and she slowed he could feel his palms begin to sweat. Thank god she was wearing those fingerless gloves. His heart was pulsating rapidly in his chest. Her hold on his hand became tighter, and he was sure she could smell his fear like a dog would.

Finally she let go, and he whipped his hand into his other pocket, balling it into a fist. He scolded himself inwardly for behaving in such a way. He was supposed to be the lazy genius who didn't give a shit about anything. Why did she make him feel like a jumpy idiot who couldn't care enough? The only familiar thing about the situation was that it was troublesome.

"Konoha is a really nice place," Temari said, admiring the stone backdrop on the town and the picture blue sky with lazy clouds lofting above. The clouds, oh why could Shikamaru not be a cloud amongst the others, lazy and free?

"Konoha is quaint and subtle at first glance, but the missions never end and something horrible is always happening. Konoha is a troublesome and false place to live," he answered bluntly.

She turned to him, her face cross. "Shikamaru, why can't you be happy with what you have? You've got a loving mother and father. You're strong and smart. You don't have brothers who make you take three day long trips to allied towns. You were the first to become a Chunin. You don't look half bad, either," she said, her cheeks turning slightly rosy at the last statement. "My life is more damn 'troublesome' than yours, but I don't complain about it in every other phrase."

"You, woman, are troublesome," Shikamaru growled audibly, without looking at her. He'd just been complimented about his looks, as far as he was concerned, and his cheeks had also taken a red hint as he sucked in air, gritted his teeth, and walked ahead toward a bench away from most of the street bustle.

Temari followed, with a satisfied look and sat down next to him a little too closely. She leaned over, lips an inch away from his ear. "Am I?" she purred. He shuddered and scrambled away to the edge of the bench, looking utterly pissed off.

"Yes!" he said in a voice that was struggling not to scream at her.

"Why am I troublesome?" she asked with a wicked grin, daring to press the matter further.

Shikamaru glared at her. "B.. Because!" he hesitated. "You tease me and taunt me so. My mind can't have a moment's rest when I'm around. You..." he snarled. "I don't know." His face was red from either just revealing his feelings or the incredible amount of energy the frenzy of words took from the lazy boy.

Temari only giggled. "Oh Shikamaru, does that mean you just admitted to being human?"

"Hmph."

"That you, despite your efforts, cannot control every situation thrown your way?"

"I guess," he murmured reluctantly.

"Good," she said with a nod. "Because if you were to continue about that way you would never be able to find a girl."

He perked, noticeably. "What?" His face was still flustered, but he looked at the girl quizzically.

"You, silly. I've heard about your plans for life. To get married and have two kids. Well if you can't find a 'woman' you'll never have any kids."

"I'm seventeen."

"Life hits you fast."

"Woman, you bite off more than you can chew sometimes."

"Yes, and it is for that reason that I'm twenty and still have not found a man."

He sighed. "You're attractive and funny... and strong. What man wouldn't have you?"

"Did you just call me pretty again?" she asked, giggling.

"... Yes."

She was silent. He drew a shaky breath, preparing himself for what he would say next.

"You are the rare kind of woman that makes me able to accept the fact that you are troublesome, and like it. Woman, I'd take you as my own if you weren't three years older," he mumbled, his face deep red. This was completely painful, and he was about ready to dig his grave. This was beyond embarrassing, and more troublesome than he'd hoped.

"You're as good as twenty-five."

He was silent.

"Maybe my man is here somewhere in Konoha," she said, after a moment.

"Is that why you come here so often." A statement more than a question.

"Yes and no."

"Do you see him when you come here?"

"Yes, I've lost games of shoji to him many times."

Shikamaru had a hard time believing what she was saying. She was as good as the Princess of Suna and she was admitting to liking the son of a deer farmer from another village?

"Woman, I like you, a lot."

"Hmn."

Was that a bad thing? Shikamaru's stomach sunk. Perhaps he shouldn't have said that. But... who else would he she have lost so much Shoji to? They'd played many times, when they had a lot of time to kill. Shikamaru had never even come close to losing.

His thoughts were interrupted as cool finger tips guided his face to the side. His lips were claimed with her own soft ones, in a motion gentler than Shikamaru thought possible from this woman. He didn't struggle, and thoroughly enjoyed the moment. Her, leaning, head tilted up to meet his taller height.

"You just kissed me," he said, as though commenting on the weather.

"I did."

"Does that mean you're willing to be my girlfriend?"

"Are you willing to have me?"

"Yes."

"But you live in Suna, how will it work?"

"Love has no limitations."

"I suppose."

"You know," she corrected.

"Hmph."

"Would you marry me someday, Shikamaru?" She asked with a coy grin.

"It's too early for that."

"Hmn." She smiled.

"Would you be willing to marry me?" he asked, curiously.

"If things went smoothly."

"Then you would be willing to have two children with me and spend your life with me?" He paused. "If things go smoothly."

"What if I wanted three children?"

"You'd be the one suffering birth, not me."

"Wouldn't it hurt you when I suffer?" she asked, almost hurt.

"... Yes. It would."

She raised a brow.

"Fine, I take it back."

She giggled. And for many moments they sat in thoughtful silence.

Shikamaru looked at his pocket watch.

"It's time to go, Temari."

And with that, they set off.


End file.
